Throwback Thursday - On This Day

Mark Wilbraham, Editor of the club’s official matchday programme, ‘The Voice of Spotland’, takes a look back at Dale events on this date down the years...

CLASSIC MATCH

Saturday 1st September 2007

Coca-Cola Football League Two

ROCHDALE 3, MK DONS 2

Only one point had been picked-up from Dale’s opening three league fixtures in their Centenary Season, but the side had beaten Stoke on penalties and had lost out to Norwich by the same method in the Carling Cup.

The Dons already had a win to their name and were expected to be one of the division’s leading clubs under new manager Paul Ince.

They started the game as if they meant business and it was no surprise when former QPR striker Kevin Gallen headed them into a 15th minute lead.

Dale found their feet and hit back 11 minutes later through Chris Dagnall, who bent home a lovely shot from outside the area.

However, MK Dons were back in front within 60 seconds through that man Gallen and his team held the lead for over an hour.

It was soon time for the fourth official to show how many extra minutes would be played, which was the key for many Dale fans to make their way to the exits. Big mistake...

Another Dons attack broke down and Dale raced upfield, with the ball finding its way to Rory Prendergast.

He sent a pass to Adam Le Fondre, whose powerful shot was parried into the air by the goalkeeper, before dropping down over the line.

Dale had rescued a point – or had they?

Minutes later Le Fondre crashed an effort off the bar and Dagnall was the first to react with a brave header to win the game and send the home support at Spotland into raptures.

Watch highlights from the game on Dale PlayerHD.

The Rochdale team that afternoon was:

James Spencer

Simon Ramsden

Tom Kennedy

David Perkins

Rory McArdle

Guy Branston

Ben Muirhead (Kallum Higginbotham)

John Doolan

Glenn Murray (Adam Le Fondre)

Chris Dagnall

Adam Rundle (Rory Prendergast)

ALSO ON THIS DAY

1962 Goals from John Hardman and Ron Cairns gave Dale a 2-0 win at Exeter.

2001 Dale continued to make strides at the top of Division Three when Michael Oliver and Clive Platt scored inside the first 12 minutes to clinch a 2-1 victory at Carlisle.

2012 Dale picked-up their first win of the season, beating Barnet 2-0 at home. Ashley Grimes and Dele Adebola were the men on target.

BORN ON THIS DAY

Five former Dale players were born on this day, including Rhys Bennett, Reece Gray and Alan Weir.

Bennett left Dale in May after making 129 appearances for the club. He is now with Mansfield Town and is 25 today.

Gray was a young striker whose Dale career was beset by injury problems. He scored twice in 13 games before leaving the club in May 2014 and is 24 today.

Weir (pictured below) was a right-back who moved down from Sunderland in the summer of 1979. A player who will be well-remembered by older fans, he was at the club for four seasons, clocking-up 119 appearances in all competitions. Alan celebrates his 57th birthday today.